Combined tool



Nov. 26, 1957 H. w. BASSETT COMBINED TOOL Filed Aug. 6; 1957 W a w m n T3. flu WW 8% w in E 2,814,109 Patented. Nov. 26, 1951 ice COMBINED TOOL Henry W. Bassett, South Britain, Conn., assignor to The W. E. Bassett Company, Derby, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application August 6, 1957, Serial'No. 676,592

Claims. (Cl. 130-152) My invention relates to acombined tool, and more particularly to a tool comprisinga case with one or more blades in the case. My improved combined tool may consist of a channel-like case for movable bladeswhich may be pivoted in said case and be movable from closed position between said sides to a full open positionprojectingv in a direction away from said case.

It is an object of the invention to provide-a combined tool having improved means for retaining a blade. or blades in desired position.

Another object is to provide an exceedingly simple, readily formed spring-like member integral with the base of the channel for coaction with parts of the blade members for holding the latter in position.

Other objects and various features of novelty and invention will be hereinafter pointed out or will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

Briefly stated, in a preferred form of the invention, the housing or casing for my combined 'tool comprises a channel-shaped member, including a base with upstanding side flanges or walls forming an elongated channel to serve as a case or housing for one or more blade-like members. The blade members are pivoted in the case about a common axis and between the two side Walls. 'Ihese blades may be moved about the pivot means to open position extending away from the case and closed position between the two side walls. The case has an improved spring-like member formed integrally therewith for coaction with parts of the blades for holding the latter in extreme positions. In the preferred form, this spring-like member is formed by elongated slits formed in the base of the channel and extending along the edges of the upstanding side flanges so as to form an elongated spring-like member free of the base along the slits, but attached at the ends and integrallwith the base. The blades have one or more projections for engaging and springing this spring-like member when the blades are moved to the desired extreme positions, preferably the open position.

In the drawings, which show for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a generally central longitudinal sectional View of a combined tool illustrating features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an inverted perspective view of the case shown in Fig. l.

In said drawings, the case may consist of a base 5 and upstanding walls or side flanges 66 forming an elongated channel which forms the case of the tool. This case carries one or more tools such as 789 which are preferably pivotally secured to the case as by means of an eyelet rivet 10 extending through holes in the blades at one end and through holes in the upstanding walls of the channel where they'are riveted or spun in place. Thus, the blades may be swung from closed position between the channels to open positions extending away from the case.

In order to hold the blades in some predetermined positions, preferably the wide-open positions, but also other positions as the closed positions or both, I provide improved holding means in the case. and on the blades. In the form illustrated, the case is of slightly resilient material such as sheet metal, preferably sheet steel. The case has an integral spring-like member 11 which is a long spring-like member integrally attached at the ends to the base, but free of the base at the sides. This finger or spring may be formed by a pair of elongated longitudinal slits 12 in thebaseand located adjacent the upstanding sides so as to leave the elongated spring-like .member 11, as will be clear.

, thereon angularly located' illfl position to engage the spring member 11 during a small angular opening movement, and when-the blade is'in-wide open position, as shown in Fig. 1. This. projection 13 during said small angular movement of the blade'to open position, distorts themetal of the spring-like memberll to some extent, as illustrated in exaggerated form, so that it keeps a constant spring tension on the blade member 8' and holds it frictionally in full open position. The other blades, for example, the blades 7 and-9, are in closed position and preferably free of the spring-like member 11', as shown particularly at14-14 in Fig. 2. Thus, those blades do not keep the spring-like member, 11 under stress while the latter is engaged in holding the blademember 8. in

open position. When the blade member is moved to closed position, the springlike member 11, of course, springs backtofits normalposition flush with: the base of the" channeb and closes up the spacesv indicated" in 14-14".. Each blade has a projection-simila-r torthe projection 13 on the blade 8 so that any blade may be definitely held in wide open position by this projection, like 13, engaging the spring-like member 11. In the preferred form, as indicated, this spring is distorted only by the projections, such as 13, on the particular blade which is; in full open position. Of course, the projections could be otherwise arranged both angularly and in relation to.

each other so that they would hold the blades closed by means of contact with the spring-like member 11, as will be understood. It will be seen that I have provided an extremely simple form of spring-like member having considerable stiffness for frictionally holding one or more blades in definite positions.

The locations of the pivot axis, the projection 13 and; the point 15 where the back of the blade engages the: edge of the base should be such that the vertical projec -tion (Fig. l) of the pivot axis falls between the point 15 and the point where the projection 13 engages the spring member 11. Under those conditions, the blade would be most securely held.

Reference is made herein to Bassett application Serial. No. 615,200, filed October 10, 1956, now Patent No. 2,798,290.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail, it is to be understood that changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character indicated, an elongated channel having a base and upstanding opposed side walls and defining a retaining case, a pluraltiy of elongated blade members, means for pivotally supporting said blade members upon a common axis between said side walls, said blade members being independently movable from a closed position between said walls to an open position projecting away from said case, said case adjagated spring-like member attached at both ends to said base, but free of the base along said slits, each of said blade members having a projection angularly positioned thereon so as to friction-ally engage said elongated springlike member for a short angular movement for friction ally holding said blade member in definite position relatively to said case.

2. In a device of the character indicated, an elongated channel having a base and opposed upstanding side walls and defining a retaining case, a plurality of elongated blade members, means for pivotally mounting said blade members about a common axis between said walls, said blade members being independently movable from a closed position between said side walls to an open position projecting away from said case, the base of said .channel adjacent said pivotal connection having a pair of slits extending longitudinally thereof and adjacent the upstanding side walls, said slits leaving an elongated spring-like member free of said base along the sides and attached at both ends to the base, each of said blades having a retaining projection for frictional engagement with said spring-like member during a short angular movement when said blade member is moved to open position relatively to said case, said blades being formed so as to be free of said spring like member when said blades are in closed positions.

3. In a device of the character indicated, an elongated channel having a base and opposed upstanding side walls and defining a retaining case, an elongated blade member, means for pivotally supporting said elongated blade member on an axis between said side walls, said blade member being movable from a closed position between said side walls to an open position projecting away from said case, said base of said channel adjacent the pivotal connection of said blade member to said case being slitted longitudinally along each side adjacent said upstanding side walls so as to leave a central spring-like member attached at both ends to said base, said blade having a projection for 4 engaging said spring-like member when said blade member is in one definite position.

4. In a device of the character indicated, an elongated channel having a base and opposed upstanding side Walls and defining a retaining case, a plurality of elongated blade members, means for pivotally supporting said blade members about a common axis between said side walls, said blade members being independently movable from the closed position between said side walls to open posi tion projecting away from said case, each of said blade members having near the pivotally supported end thereof raised retaining projections thereon, said base having elongated spaced apart slits defining a spring-like member between said slits integrally connected at the ends to said base and'constituting a blade retaining member for coaction with said projections on said blade-like members when the latter are in one extreme position, said blades being formed so as to be free of said blade retaining member when said blades are in all positions other than said extreme position.

5. In a device of the character indicated, an elongated channel having a base and opposed upstanding sidewalls and defining a retaining case, said upstanding side walls adjacent one end being pierced for receiving a pivotal connection for a blade member, said base of said channel adjacent said end having a number of elongated slits terminating short of the ends of said base extending longitudinally and lying adjacent the upstanding side walls and defining a flat spring-like member between said slits,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Story Feb. 28, 1882 Hallvarson Ian. 11, 1921 

